Update on Next Steps for Revitalization of Buffalo’s Broadway Market

Final design of improvements nearing completion; construction set to begin in summer 2026

See renderings here

Empire State Development (ESD) today provided a project update on next steps for construction that will begin transforming Buffalo’s Broadway Market into a sustainable and vibrant year-round food and shopping hub. Broadway Market Management, Inc. (BMMI), a new not-for-profit corporation, has been established, in coordination with ESD, to operate the city-owned public market building, and is on track to go before the City of Buffalo Preservation Board for a certificate of appropriateness for the rehabilitation of the market.  The Buffalo Planning Board will next consider site plan approval for the project, which is set to begin construction in the summer of 2026, at an estimated cost of between $40-45 million.  Capital funding for the renovation is from Empire State Development and operations support for BMMI is funded by the Regional Revitalization Partnership (RRP), a multi-year $300 million collaborative initiative between New York State’s Empire State Development, local municipalities and private philanthropic partners.  Downtown Revitalization Initiative funds, provided by NYS Department of State, are also included in the capital funding for Broadway Fillmore.

“Our vision has always been a thriving Broadway Market for the East Side, and today we’re one step closer,” said Empire State Development President, CEO & Commissioner Hope Knight. “With major state and Regional Revitalization Partnership investment, we’re turning the tide on decades of decline and pursuing a plan that firmly reestablishes the market as a bustling hub in the heart of the Broadway-Fillmore neighborhood.”

Renderings of the planned improvements can be found here, and overall project updates can be found on the project website here. The project team will be at the market during Easter Week with an opportunity to view the designs through a virtual reality application.

The overall design of the revitalization will include:

• A reorganization of the internal layout and circulation within the market to cluster year-round vendors along a central main aisle with adjoining areas for growth, and incorporation of expanded areas for prepared foods and food production;
• Razing of a rear parking structure that has experienced significant deterioration and replacement with a multi-purpose surface parking/loading area that can also host outdoor events;
• Restoration of various “character-defining” features such as the Art Moderne curved walls and window features of the building’s facade and highlighting of the structure’s internal concrete elements;
• Incorporation of new vendor stalls and improved mechanical, electrical and other internal systems; and
• New iconic sign elements and lighting on the Broadway and rear facades.

In February, the proposed design for the market was determined eligible for a Type 2 Historic Preservation Certification by the National Park Service, which will enable the project to receive Historic Tax Credit financing.

ESD, in coordination with BMMI, has been working with a design team led by Flynn Battaglia Architects and a construction management team led by Buffalo Construction Consultants (BCC) to prepare construction documents, independent cost estimates, and a construction staging plan to allow the market and its vendors to remain open, albeit in a modified manner, during the estimated 24-month construction period.

Design and construction funding comes from a variety of sources.  A $10 million allocation was included under ESD’s 2019 East Side Corridors Economic Development Fund, which has financed consultant costs for the business plan, BMMI start-up planning, preliminary/final design and pre-construction services, with balance going toward construction.  This was supplemented in 2022 with $29 million in ESD capital funds for rehab costs under the Regional Revitalization Partnership and a $2.5 million grant under the Broadway-Fillmore Downtown Revitalization Initiative Plan, awarded for facade improvements. BMMI is also exploring the securing of State/Federal Historic and New Market Tax Credits.

The Broadway Market, built in 1956, is eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places and is recognized as part of the Broadway Fillmore local historic district.  The market, which occupied two prior buildings on the site, has been in place at this location since 1888 and has historically played an important role as a center for year-round, international, owner-operated, affordable fresh and prepared food shops and neighborhood services.  As the community around it has changed, the market is now seeking to maximize its relevance to Broadway-Fillmore and to expand its customer base to serve as a sustainable stimulus to neighborhood development, as well as an attraction for the entire region.

BMMI Chairperson Peter Cammarata said, “The establishment of BMMI marks a pivotal turning point in the history of the Broadway Market. By transitioning to a dedicated non-profit model, we are working toward the market as a sustainable engine for local entrepreneurship and a vibrant gathering place. This project honors the market’s deep roots on Buffalo’s East Side, while modernizing the space to serve a new generation of shoppers and vendors. We are eager to move through the approvals process and get to work on creating the world-class food hub this community deserves.”

About Empire State Development

Empire State Development is New York’s chief economic development agency, and promotes business growth, job creation, and greater economic opportunity throughout the state. With offices in each of the state’s 10 regions, ESD oversees the Regional Economic Development Councils, supports broadband equity through the ConnectALL office, and is growing the workforce of tomorrow through the Office of Strategic Workforce Development. The agency engages with emerging and next generation industries like clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing looking to grow in New York State, operates a network of assistance centers to help small businesses grow and succeed, and promotes the state’s world class tourism destinations through I LOVE NY. For more information, please visit esd.ny.gov, and connect with ESD on LinkedIn, Facebook and X.

About the Regional Revitalization Partnership

The Regional Revitalization Partnership (RRP) is a $300 million comprehensive economic development strategy and public-private partnership that maximizes impact and leverages additional investment for Buffalo’s East Side, Niagara Falls and Rochester. This community-driven, collaborative strategy takes a holistic approach to economic development and is designed to build community wealth through multiple paths. The RRP was developed in collaboration with New York State Governor Kathy Hochul and Empire State Development (ESD) and is supported by ESL, Max and Marian Farash Charitable Foundation, Five Star Bank, KeyBank/First Niagara Foundation, William & Sheila Konar Foundation, M&T Bank, NBT Bank, John R. Oishei Foundation, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation, and partners in the cities of Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Rochester. RRP program implementation is led by the Center for Regional Strategies.

About the Downtown Revitalization Initiative 
The Downtown Revitalization Initiative was created in 2016 to accelerate and expand the revitalization of downtowns and neighborhoods in all ten regions of the state to serve as centers of activity and catalysts for investment. Led by the Department of State with assistance from Empire State Development, Homes and Community Renewal and NYSERDA, the DRI represents an unprecedented and innovative “plan-then-act” strategy that couples strategic planning with immediate implementation and results in compact, walkable downtowns that are a key ingredient to helping New York State rebuild its economy from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to achieving the State’s bold climate goals by promoting the use of public transit and reducing dependence on private vehicles. Through nine rounds, the DRI will have awarded a total of $1 billion to 99 communities across every region of the State. The Governor has proposed another $100 million for the program in her 2026-2027 Executive Budget.

Contact:
Pamm Lent (ESD) | pamm.lent@esd.ny.gov | (716) 846-8309 | (800) 260-7313
Laura Magee (ESD) | laura.magee@esd.ny.gov | (716) 846-8239 | (800) 260-7313